04/05/2011 – Brazil has become the fourth key emerging economy to join the OECD system for the Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) in the Assessment of Chemicals.

The OECD Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) system is a multilateral agreement which saves governments and chemical producers around EUR 150 million every year by allowing the results of a variety of safety tests done on chemicals and chemical products to be shared across OECD. The MAD system requires that testing be carried out using OECD standards for test methods (OECD Test Guidelines) and for data quality (OECD Principles of Good Laboratory Practice - GLP). Governments need to verify compliance of laboratories with the latter standard by using the OECD agreed procedures. OECD countries - and now Brazil, India, South Africa and Singapore - have implemented this system via the appropriate legislative and administrative procedures.

At the moment, the scope of Brazil’s programme is limited to non clinical environmental health and safety data developed in Brazil on pesticides, biocides and industrial chemicals; however, Brazil may add additional products to be covered by MAD in the future.

Participation in the MAD system begins by provisional adherence, during which time non-members work with OECD countries to make their GLP compliance monitoring programme acceptable to all members. Provisional adherence to the OECD system means that the non-member must accept data from OECD and adhering countries generated under MAD conditions. After a team of experts from three participating governments have evaluated the non-member GLP compliance monitoring programme on site, and based on the outcome of this evaluation, the OECD Council can invite the provisional adherent to become a full adherent to the Council Acts, with the same rights and obligations as OECD countries. Provisional adherents to the MAD system are currently Argentina, Malaysia and Thailand.

Ensuring that OECD and partner countries share and trust each other’s chemical safety test data for their regulatory purposes removes a potential non-tariff trade barrier between countries for marketing chemicals. It also opens the possibility for producers in OECD countries to have safety tests for their chemicals undertaken in adhering partner economies.